Automatic temperature control for self-heating flat-irons.



E. RUUD. AUTOMATIG TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SELF HEATING FLAT IRONS,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912.

Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

FIGJ.

' INYEgTOR 11.1mm). AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR SELPHEATING FLATIRONS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7, 1912.

. Patented Sept. '30, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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aorome'ric TEMPERATURE CONTROL roa SELF-HEATINGFLAT-IRONS.

Specification of Letters Patent. tent d t, 30-, 1913, Application areaSeptember 7,1912? Serial No. 719,115.

To all whom it may concern-:

Be it known that I, EDWIN Rum), a citrzen of the United States, and aresident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Temperature Control for Self wardly to form heating chamber 3which is provided with removable cover {1 carrying the controlling meansbeing actuated by variations in temperature of the smoothing face'anmai'ntaining the latter at approxi-' mately uniform temperatureregardless of the work in hand. Overheatingof the iron and scorching ofmaterials is prevented, while onthe otherhand the heating means is mademore active under the cooling tendency of heavy or excessively dampfabrics.

The invention is embodied in a heat controlling device-that is actuatedby a thermostat so located on the iron as to be affected by variationsin temperature of ,the smoothing face, in the adaptation here shown gas.heating means being employed with the operatively connected to the gasthermostat supply value.

In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is alongitudinal section of afiatiron illustrating one adaptation of the invention, and Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sect-ion on a larger scale of the burner and thecontrollingmeans. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on" line 33 of'Fig. 2. vFig. 4 isa View partly inelevation and partly in longitudinal section of anotherform of. thermostatic con- 'trol, and Fig. 5 is-a-bottom plan ofthesame.

Referring to the adaptation of Figs. 1 and 2, the iron body 2 isrecessed downhandle 5, all of usual and well knowncon- 'struction forwhich no novelty is claimed.

on gas burning. means is utilized for heating the iron .a mixing tube 6carrying burner 6 is entered through and secured in the rear wall 7 ofchamber 3, being formed with air inlet-openings 8. A fitting 9 con-.necting with the outer end of tube '6 is adapted to receive a gassupply pipe 10.

Theintericr of fitting 9 is in the form of a cylindricalchamber 11having port 12 dis-.

charging into tube 6, andv with a needle valve 13 for the port securedto piston 14 movable in chamber 11; The valvemay be operated by alever-arm 15 secured in pivot ball 16, the latter held in place by' stop16".- At theouter end of lever li') is laterally extending arm 17 whichis actuated by the thermostat to move thevalve toward closed position,such movement being opposed and the valve held normally open by spring18.. Secured to bottom wall 19 of heating chamber 3 is the thermostaticelement which may .consist of two united 'strips of metal 20 and 21having dliferent coefficients of expan sion, strip 20, for instance,being copper and strip 21 iron or steel. The thermostat extends throughthe rear wall of'theiron and is curved upward slightly and carries-screw 22 for adjustably engagingiarm 17 of lever wall 9 it isrelatively close to the smoothing face 23 of the iron and although underthe direct influence of the burner heat it is sens t ve to variations intemperature of the smoothing face. Theumequal expansion of thethermostat elements when the temperature rises tends toincrease itscurvature due to the greater expansion of element 20,

thereby moving the gas controlling valve to- 15 With the thermostatsecured to bottom.

Ward closedposition. Butv such movement is obviously controlled by, thetemperature of bottom Wall 19 so that the closing movement \-can.not bepronounced until the smoothing face reaches the desired maximumtemperature. The movement may be controlled toa nicety by screw 22.While the adjustment may be such that suflicient gas always passes valve12 to maintain a- I game at the burner, a pilot burner 24 may e back ofvalve 14 so that if the valve is fully closed the burner'is lightedwhen'the valve is again opened.

' In the adaptation of Figs. 4 and 5, bottom wall 19' of heating chamber3 is some:

what thicker and is formed with a longitudinal chamber 25 open throughthe rear provided which connects with fitting 9- end of the iron inwhich is located thermo staticv rod 26 of copper or other metal having adifferent coeflicientof expansion from the iron body, and the outer endof this rod is adjustably connected by screw 27 to lover 28,-the latterhaving hook-like bearings 29 to engage trunnions 30. Lover '28coiiperates'with arm 17 of the valve actuating .lever the same'as in thefirst described construction. Also in the adaptation of Fig. 4perforated tubularburner 31- is located withinchamber 3, being analternative arrangement for the burner 6 of Fig. 1. The

thermostatic, control herein proposed is in close proximity to thesmoothing-face of the iron and is sensitive to its temperature;

varlatlons, providing substantially uniformr" heat for all kinds offabrics, the coolerthe smoothing surface'the greater the amountof fuelpassed tot-he burner, so that if thematerial is. heavy or excessivelydamp, more heat'is generated than when thinner or drier materials arebeing ironed. With screw 22 [properly adjusted the operator'may proceedwith the ironing of various kinds of articles, a substantially uniform"temperature being maintained automatically by thethermostat.

' r Iclaimi .'1.-The combination 'ofa fiat iron, a gas suppliedburnerfor heating .the iron, and

means for automatically proportioning the flow ofgas to the temperatureof the smoothing surface of the iron whereby such temperature may bemaintained substantially uniform regardless of varying heat consumingdemands upon the smoothing surface. l r f 2. The combmat1on of a flat11'011, a burner I for heating the iron, and means for automaticallyproportioning the supply of fuel to the temperature of the, smoothingsurface of the iron whereby such temperature may be maintainedsubstantially uniform regard- -.1ess of varying heat consuming demandsupon the smoothing surface.

3. .The combination of a fiat iron,'a burner for -heating; the iron, avalve forcontrolling the supply of fuel to the burner, and thermostaticmeans operatively connected to the valve and actuated by variations oftemperaturejof thesmOothin sUrface of the iron for proportloning the fiow of fuel to. varying heat consuming demands upon said surface.

' 4. The combination of a flat iron body having the portion thereofadjacent .it-s smoothing surface constituting. an element of athermostat, a gassuppliedfburner for heating the smoothing surface, avalve for "controllingthe flow of gas to the burner,

and another thermostatic element cooperating'with the first mentionedthermostatic element and operatively connected to the valve forproportioning the flow, of'gas to the heat consuming demands upon thesmoothing surface. f x

'5. The combination of a fiat iron having a smoothing surface, agassupplied' burner for he'ating'said surface, a valve for control-.'hngthe flow of gas to the burner, and ther- I most-atic meansoperatively connected to the suming'demands' upon said surface.

-. T hej combinatlon of a flat iron having a smoothing surface, a gassupplied. burner valvejand actuated by 'variatidns'of temperature of thesmoothing surface for proportioning the flow of gas to the heat co'nafor heating said surface, valve for controlling the flow ofgas to theburner, a

nectcd to the, valve for moving it in opposition to said spring, thethermostatic means the smoothing surface of the iron forprosumingdemands upon said surface.

7. The combination of a flat iron, a gas supplied burner for heating thesame, a valve casing through which gas passes to controllin'g theflow ofgas, alever at the exterior of the casing and .operatively connectcd tothe valve, a spring formoving the lever in one direction, a thermostaticdeviceactuated by variations of temperature of the smoothing surface ofthe iron, and ano-pera tive connection between the thermostatic de viceand lever for moving the latter in opposition to thespring.

supplied burner for heating the same, means means extendlng from end to'end of the iron and exposed to variations in'tem-peraturethroughout thelength ofthe smoothing face thereof, and an operative connection betweenthe thermostatic means and said ,controlling'means. f ,7 p I 19. In aflat iron, the combination of a hollow body, a gas supplied burnerwithin the body for heating the same, a valve for conface of the ironand actuated by tempera-- static rod within said cavity connected to thevalve.

- 12. The combination of a flat iron formed with a cavity adjacent itssmoothing face and'open through a wall of the iron, a gas suppliedburner for heating the iron, a valve for the burner, 'a thermostaticdevice within and operatively tween the thermostatic device andsaidvalve.

.tom portion of the body formed .with

spring for moving the valv e'in one direction, and thermostatic meansoperatively con-.

' 8. The combination of a flat iron, a gas supplied burner for heatingthe iron, a valvefor'controlling the flow of gas, and a thermo-.

said cavity, and an operative connection be-- "13; In a flatv iron, thecombination of a' hollow body, the metal constituting the hot- -va,cavity, a gas supplied burner within.

actuated by variations of temperature of I portioning the flow of gasto'the heat con- I the burner, a valve movable in the casing for 'forcontrolling the flowof gas, thermostatic trolling the flow of gas,thermostaticmeans below theburner and above the smoothing turevariations of the latter, and anoperar body, a valve for controlling theflow of gas, and a thermostatic device located in said cavity andoperatively connected to the valve.

14.. Ina fiat iron, the combination of a hollow body, the metalconstituting the bottom portion of the body formed with a cavityextending from end to end of the iron, a thermostatic rod located insaid cavity, a gas supplied burner within the hollow body, a valveforcontrolling the flow of gas, and an operative connect-ion between thethermo static rod and valve.

15. The combination of a flat iron, a gas supplied burner for heatingthe same, a

valve for controlling the flow of gas, a ther-.

mostatic device exposed to variations in temperature of the smoothingsurface of the iron, and a motion transmitting lever operativelyconnecting said device and valve.

16. In a flat iron, the combination of a holloiv body, a gas suppliedburner within the body, a tubular device at theexterior of the body andin communication with the i burner, a' valve Within the tubular devicefor controlling the supply of gas, a thermostatic devlce actuated. byvariations in temperature of thasmoothing surface of thethermostaticdevice and said valve.

17. In. a flat iron, the combination of a hollow body, a gas suppliedburner within iron, and means opera'tively connecting the perature inthe smoothing surface of the iron,-a nd a lever mounted on the tubulardevice and operatively connecting the thermostatic device and saidvalve.

18. The combination of aflat iron, a gas burner therefor, a thermostaticdevice carried. by the iron-and actuated by variations in temperature ofthe smoothing face thereof, a valve for the burner, and an adjustableconnection between the valve and thermostat. i

19. The combination ot a flat iron, a gas burner therefor, athermostatic device carried by the ironand actuated by variations intemperature of the smoothing face thereof, a valve for the burner, anoperative connection between the thermostat and valve for closing thelatter, and a spring for opening the valve and for opposing its closingmovement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN RUUD.

